10 things flight attendants wish they could say

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There’s no doubt that being a flight attendant requires more patience than most jobs. Imagine coping with hundreds of passengers at a time, each one convinced that his or her needs are the most important. Demands can be wacky, unreasonable or outrageous, while the smallest of slights (or perceived slights) can spark fiery tantrums. Amid all the craziness, flight attendants serve as calm mediators with the forbearance of saints. Most of the time, anyway.

Remember the famous incident on that Pittsburgh-New York JetBlue flight back in 2010? As the plane was pulling into its terminal, flight attendant Steven Slater claimed that a belligerent passenger hit him with her suitcase while pulling it prematurely from the overhead bin. Slater snapped, announcing over the PA system, “I’ve been in this business 28 years, and I’ve had it!” Then he grabbed two beers, exited via the emergency-evacuation slide and was soon taken into custody.